SINGAPORE: Singapore star kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder successfully defended his Formula Kite European Championships open title on Monday (May 19) after holding his nerve to snatch victory on the final day of racing.

The 18-year-old pipped Italy's Ricardo Pianosi, winning the first two races in the medal series to take the crown.

As Maeder is not European, he took the open or overall title. Runner-up Pianosi took the continental or European title.

In the opening series, Pianosi topped the fleet with 18 nett points, landing him one match point and automatic qualification to the medal series. 18-year-old Maeder scored 40 nett points and placed second, which meant that he too qualified automatically.

Going into the final day of racing in Urla, Türkiye, Pianosi needed just one more match point in the four-man final to win.

However, it was the Singaporean who kept his nerve and sealed the victory after two straight race wins. Pianosi took silver and Switzerland's Gian Andrea Stragiotti the bronze.

Maeder started the year by retaining his title at Trofeo Princesa Sofia Regatta in Palma, Mallorca, last month.

He finished ahead of Pianosi and Austria’s Valentin Bontus.

The Singaporean then took silver at the French Olympic Week event in Hyeres, France, in late April behind Pianosi.

The world's top-ranked kitefoiler had a sensational run of form in 2024.

In August last year, he ended Singapore’s eight-year wait for an Olympic podium finish since swimmer Joseph Schooling won gold in 2016. Maeder, then 17, also became Singapore's youngest Olympic medallist.

He then went on to win four consecutive titles after his bronze showing in France, taking the Austrian leg of the KiteFoil World Series, the 2024 Formula Kite Asian Championships in Daishan, China, the Italian leg of the Kitefoil World Series and the Formula Youth European Championships in October.

Maeder's compatriot Ryan Lo notched a significant milestone at the ILCA 7 Men's World Championships in Qingdao, China, over the weekend.

Asian Games gold medallist and two-time Olympian Lo finished 14th overall in a fleet of 138 sailors. This is the highest recorded finish by an Asian sailor at any edition of the World Championships.